UAE New Climate Change Target: Cutting Emissions by 31%

Following recommendations of the Glasgow Climate Pact, a main outcome of COP26, the UAE set a new climate change target: reducing emissions by 31% by 2030, an increase from the previous target of 23.5%.

To achieve the new target, the country seeks to involve five priority sectors, including electricity, transport, industry, waste management and carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS).

The new target is specified in the updated version of the UAE's second Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement which the UAE cabinet has just approved.

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The electricity sector is expected to be the highest contributor to the target at 66.4%, followed by the industrial sector at 16.6%, transport at 9.7%, CCUS at 5.3% and waste at 2.1%.

Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and Environment said: "The country raised its climate ambition in its first and second NDCs, submitted in 2015 and 2020, respectively.

"Today, we mark a new milestone in our voluntary commitment to environmental protection and climate action as we respond to the call of the Glasgow Climate Pact."

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